Irritable Bowel Syndrome is No Joke

Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a chronic disease that can be unpredictable and requires long-term management. Knowing the facts is essential to living life comfortably. With between 25 and 45 million people in the United States learning to manage this disease, new research and treatment options are becoming available regularly. The month of April is Irritable Bowel Syndrome Awareness month, and LeBauer Healthcare is working to share the signs, symptoms and treatments for IBS.

What is IBS?

According to the Mayo Clinic, Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a common disorder that affects the large intestine and the colon. IBS commonly causes cramping, abdominal pain, bloating, gas, diarrhea and constipation. A physical test and review of the patient’s family history is necessary in order to ensure a diagnosis, so understanding signs and symptoms of IBS is important to knowing when you should get tested.

Diagnosis and Symptoms

There are two pieces of criteria that must be met to diagnose IBS since many cases do not cause physical symptoms. According to the Mayo Clinic, these criteria are broken down into two areas:

Rome Criteria: According to these criteria, you must have certain signs and symptoms before a doctor diagnoses Irritable Bowel Syndrome. The most important are abdominal pain and discomfort lasting at least three days a month in the last three months, associated with two or more of following: improvement with defecation, altered frequency of stool or altered consistency of stool.

Manning Criteria: These criteria focus on pain relieved by defecation, having incomplete bowel movements, mucus in the stool and changes in stool consistency. The more symptoms present, the greater the likelihood of IBS.

These two criteria options are discussed once a patient expresses concern of symptoms that are considered to be red flags when it comes to IBS. These red flags can include rectal bleeding, abdominal pain and persistent diarrhea, along with other symptoms. If you are experiencing any of these red flags or other symptoms LeBauer Healthcare can help diagnose and treat IBS.

Signs of IBS? Visit Us Today

Are you or a loved one experiencing possible symptoms related to IBS? If so, LeBauer HealthCare can help. Find a LeBauer HealthCare office near you to schedule an appointment, or give us a call at 336-547-1792. We look forward to speaking with you.

LeBauer Research is currently working on clinical trials for Irritable Bowel. To find out more about participating in a clinical trial, call 336-547-1739.